Tony Ferguson hasn’t competed since he defeated former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael Dos Anjos by decision at UFC Fight Night 98.
Nate Diaz hasn’t fought since he suffered a decision loss to UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor at UFC 202.
According to Ferguson, the Stockton native needs to fight soon or just retire.
“I’m down for the battle of California,” he said to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “[Diaz] wants to represent 209. I’m from 805 in the Oxnard area. I think, obviously, my hands are a lot better. I think this game is about the glory and not all about the money. Obviously you have to make you piece in this industry but s**t, Nate, if you don’t want to fight, move on. Retire. Go do something else because we’re here to fight in this industry and everybody else is taken so Nate would be the next one up.”
Diaz has said in multiple interviews that he doesn’t want to compete in big money fights, but big deal fights.
Ferguson isn’t in a rush to fight either because he is enjoying his newfound life with fatherhood.
“There’s a few things we’re trying to get in order,” Ferguson said. “We were trying to get a fight in before Ramadan but Khabib doesn’t want to fight. He has a lot of issues going on with his stomach, so we’re trying to figure out who’s next but I don’t want to go backwards. I want to go forward and I think Nate Diaz, with his ranking at number eight, then Michael Johnson and so on and so forth, I’m kind of just chilling right now. I’m enjoying my time being a father and having fun with this stuff.”
It has been five months since the last time that Ferguson fought, while it has been eight months since the last time Diaz competed.
